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Friday, June 03, 2016

Welcome
back, Darlene. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or did you want to
be something else?

Writing
was one of five dream jobs I wanted when I was ten. Having said that, it fell
far below my life’s ambition: I believed with all of my heart that God wanted
me to be a music missionary to Mexico.
I studied music, studied Spanish on my own until I got to high school and could
take classes (no one spoke Spanish in Maine, at least not in the 1960s), and
majored in Bible, theology, and music in college.

Then life
happened. Without going into all the circumstances, my ex-husband and I failed
in full-time ministry in the states before we ever went overseas.

When we
separated, I started to write and never gave up.

How long
does it take you to write a book from start to finish?

I don’t
write very that quickly. I spent all of April writing two novellas and most of
May editing them, and I still have about two weeks of work left to do before
publication. At that speed, over a month for a novella from first draft to
final edits for a novella. My editor does it in two weeks.

For a
short novel (Heartsong length or cozy mysteries), about 3 months. For a longer
book, it could take me as long as 6 months. In planning, I also allow for
periods I can’t write. I can’t afford to wait until the last minute to meet a
deadline, and then fall sick.

But even
so I’m writing more than ever. In 2016, I expect to finish five novellas and
two cozy mysteries.

How do you
come up with themes for your stories?

I always
choose a Bible verse that I expect to impact the story. Sometimes the story
takes a different direction, and I have to choose a different verse.

Some books
are theme-driven. Calico Brides, the
collection where Buttons for Birdie,
first appeared, grew out of my passion for missions. (All four brides found a
missions project close to home.) A
Ranger’s Trail was about forgiving enemies and Tobogganing for Two looked at forgiving yourself.

But where
do the themes come from? They’re integral to the story. I don’t start with a
theme to write a story; I start with a story which sometimes dictates the
theme. The actual events of the MasonCounty “Hoo Doo” War in Texas inspired the story in A Ranger’s Trail. A feud left dozens
dead and no one was brought to justice. How would the widow respond to the lack
of resolution? How could she forgive the family in part responsible for her
husband’s death?

Do you have
a schedule of when you write?

I have
daily writing or editing goals, but I don’t have a schedule. On my best days, I
get in an hour before lunch and then the bulk of my work in the early
afternoon. I never know when I’ll be interrupted by a visitor, a doctor, or
fighting sleepiness (an ongoing problem). Supper refreshes me for another short
burst.

I have
learned to write when I have the opportunity and energy to do so. That’s how
I’ve continued to be productive in spite of my change of circumstances and
unpredictable health.

How are you
able to balance other aspects of your life with your writing?

I answered
that a little above. By writing when I can.

Finding balance
has always been a challenge. I tend to be reclusive. I go to church services
here twice a week but I eat in my room. I rarely go to activities—they either
take place while I have a shower (mornings) or when I’m down to the final push
to reach the day’s goal (afternoons).

But I have
restorative therapy which helps keep me physically active, I am spending more
time with the Lord, and I take breaks from writing to read, visit on Facebook,
watch TV, do word search puzzles, and adult coloring books. I play piano at
church and talk with aides at length, using my spiritual gifts.

I found
adult coloring when I was trying to find things to take to rehab after my
second knee-replacement surgery for the times I wasn't doing physical therapy. I’ve loved it since. What elements do you
think make a great story line?

Well-rounded
characters. A clear tension that can’t be easily resolved. A story where the
characters must change to find resolution. To some extent, the unexpected.

What was
the hardest thing about writing a book?

Pushing
through even when what I’m writing feels like junk. I recently finished my
Christmas book for this year (Matchmaking
Mix-Up). While I was writing it, I told my editor I wasn’t even sure if it
was worth publishing. (I rarely get that discouraged.)

Lo and
behold, when I went through the edits, I realized it was humorous,
light-hearted and fun, and didn’t prolong the tension too long. How long could
the twin pretend to be her sister? It turned out just right. Tell me if you
agree when it comes out.

That’s my
most recent example of learning to trust the process.

How many
books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite?

I have written
forty-six different stories, some of them not yet published, but those have
been packaged in sixty-nine different collections. Between Barbour and Forget
Me Not, I look even more productive than I am.

You’re
asking me to choose a favorite child! I will always be proud of my first book Romanian Rhapsody, and even the second
that proved I wasn’t a one-hit wonder (Gunfight
at Grace Gulch). But of all the books I’ve written? Oh, that’s so hard. I’m
thankful for Dressed in Scarlet—that
collection was where we first met. When it finaled in the Book of the Year
contest, I decided maybe I could write historical fiction after all, and my
career took off.

Yes, and I’ve
enjoyed sharing in more than that one collection with you. We have another one coming up in September, Mountain Christmas Brides. Do you have a
favorite character?

I love the
characters in my Dressed for Death series. I rarely get to visit with the same
characters in more than one book, so writing the mystery series was a hoot. In
fact, I may revisit Grace Gulch for a second series, with the youngest Wilde
sister (Dina) as the sleuth.

Tell us about the story.

Birdie
Landry, recently delivered from the life of a soiled dove, is determined to
make it on her own without help from anyone—especially a man. She has found
purpose in seeking to help others in the life to escape, but she lacks the
funds to make it possible. How can storekeeper Ned Finnegan overcome her
barriers and win her heart?

Please give us a peek at the first page of the
book.

Birdie
Landry smoothed her gloved hand over the sign one of her sewing circle friends
had made for her: Fresh Eggs Cheaper by the Dozen. She could picture it now,
sitting inside the window of Finnegan’s Mercantile, drawing customers in to buy
her eggs from Ned.

I’m doing
Ned Finnegan a favor. Gerard’s, the other general store in town, didn’t offer
eggs. Birdie could have danced for joy when Miss Kate agreed that she could
raise chickens on the property. She figured she would have enough eggs to pay
for her room at the boardinghouse Miss Kate ran in addition to the diner, and then
sell the extras for cash at the mercantile.

Those
two-and-a-half-dozen hens represented the first step in bringing Birdie’s
dreams for her mission project to life. She hoped and prayed that Ned wouldn’t
hold her past against her.

No, Birdie
told herself. Her friends—imagine, calling the daughter of a pastor a
friend—kept reminding her that she was a child of the King. As in the fairy
tales she had loved when she was a girl, that made her a princess. Unlike the
stories, she didn’t expect Prince Charming to ride up and save her.

Mr.
Finnegan treated her with respect, like any other woman who frequented his
store. Mr. Gerard had frequented the Betwixt’n’Between on more than occasion,
although he had never requested Birdie’s services.

Every day,
Birdie was reminded of her former occupation as she walked the streets of
Calico. No matter what route she traveled from the boardinghouse, she passed
one of her former clients’ homes. Mrs. Fairfield, the pastor’s wife, encouraged
her to pray for the men and the families involved. She called it heaping coals
of fire on their hands.

Like the
pretty white house standing to her right. The bank president lived in that
place. Birdie kept her eyes open as she prayed, hoping to imprint the image of
new summer grass and children at play on the lawn over the sight of the man in
his long underwear.

The door
to the house opened, and Birdie crossed that street. She tugged her sunbonnet
forward and kept her gaze focused on her feet. No one else appeared in her line
of vision as she turned onto Main
Street. Because of the early hour, earlier than
most people came to the store, she hoped to catch Mr. Finnegan before he had
any customers.

Spotting
the deputy sheriff heading down the street, Birdie ducked into the doorway of
the mercantile. Mr. Finnegan smiled at her as he unlocked the door. His slight
build and kind face matched his occupation.

He opened
the door wide and stood back so she could enter. “Good morning, Miss Landry!
You’re up and about early today.”

He said
that every time she came, although he must guess her reasons for the hour. She
shifted the bag holding the sign from one arm to the other and prayed for
courage.

“I see you
have something in your bag already. Are you wanting to trade?” He walked to his
register and leaned forward on his elbows.

I am eager for my copy of the book to arrive. Where
can my readers find you on the Internet?

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36 comments:

I LOVE the romance novella collections in this series! I was never really into novella collections until I got the Love is Patient collection in this set. I love it! Can't wait to read this one as well! J.C. -Indiana-

Jan, Over the past week, we've lost our TV (fried during a surge) and my computer is refusing to charge. Holds steady at 12% as long as it's plugged in. I probably put too much strain on the cord trying to keep it over my bed at night time so I could watch TV on my computer.

So with limited computer use and no TV, I am finding myself very much at odds and ends, not getting anything down. I should get more down with fewer distractions but . . . I don't handle change well.